Tag Archives: cream cheese

Like a dying swan, I came to L.A. and watched as, feather-by-feather, all of my bagel-eating genes fell to the ground. I tried, I really did. I made bagel bombs, which were a nice alternative, but not the real thing. I stood and ate a bagel at Brooklyn Bagel and thought, “Oh man: this doesn’t feel right at all.” I basically gave up. And then, very gradually, a new idea began to hatch in my brain: what if I made my own everything bagels? How hard could that be? On Friday afternoon, I bought bread flour and malt powder and cream cheese and nova and red onions; on Saturday morning, I woke up all set to make Peter Reinhart’s famous recipe.

If you live in a great bagel city–and by that, I mean New York–this post will not be important to you. Feel free to skip it.

Everyone else: this is the most important post on a food blog you will ever read. In fact, if I were you, I’d stop whatever you’re doing, shut the door, and power off your phone. Even if you’re a brain surgeon in the middle of surgery, or a diplomat negotiating peace in the Middle East, this takes precedent. Please sit down.

I’m a fiend for sugar snap peas. When they show up at the farmer’s market, I knock everyone else aside and dive right in to the big pile of green, shoving fistfuls into little plastic bags which I bring home and immediately devour.

Why do I love them so much? Their taste is 100% spring. They show up at a very specific time and only last for a few weeks. I used to feel the same way about Cadbury eggs, only sugar snap peas are slightly healthier.

When BlogHer approached me and asked if I wanted to develop recipes for their “Real Women of Philadelphia” campaign, I had three immediate reactions: 1. I’m not a woman; 2. I’m not from Philadelphia; and 3. Me? Develop recipes? How flattering. I’m going to say yes!